Hot and Fast or Low and Slow

[agaffer]

Day one of bear season, I got mine at 6:35am. We quickly loaded it up and got it to the processor in less than one hour. Came back, my partner got his almost immediately. We both have plenty of recipes for the back strap, ribs, steaks and roasts. But, as I mentioned in a earlier post we are going to try to cook a whole hind quarters and try to make pulled bear. We want to get it right the first time and are debating if we should go for around 300° cook temp for a fast cook or 250° for a longer cook and render as much fat out as possible. Always have used the hind quarters for sausage in the past so, this will be a new experiment. I have searched the web and can't find any recipes. Maybe I should take that as an omen but, we got ourselves pretty set on experimenting.
For those of you that haven't seen or tasted bear meat, the best I can describe it is like sweet beef. Has high fat content like Wagyu but not tender. Anybody have any thoughts on the cooking temp?

 

[Jonok]

We always make Italian beef out of the roasts with about 3 hrs of smoke, and then finishing in a crock pot with the Italian beef gravy recipe of your choice. So I guess low and slow...

 

[Jonok]

Btw, that’s a nice bear!

 

[agaffer]

Thanks, small enough that it should be tender. The have been pretty much just been eating berries the last few months plus all the corn I have been putting out for over a month. There is no place for them to catch and eat fish, so I am thinking it is going to be good tasting.
Shame they have to be cooked to at least 165°. I think that you are right about the low and slow. I have cooked the ham like Big Bob Gibson did venison hind quarters but, trying to get it cooked so that it can be pulled and put in a sandwich calls for a different technique. I am thinking a short brine, a rub with a little bite to it. Debating on injection. Butchers BBQ has a pretty good brisket injection with phosphates that would increase the tenderness. Also thinking that a peach BBQ sauce with either habanaro or jalapeno pepper would work for the sandwich.

 

[Jonok]

This stuff is awesome. I supplement it with a little. “Better Than Bullion” but it makes even spring bear something I want to eat..
https://www.meijer.com/shop/en/pant...lian-beef-au-jus-seasoning-3-oz/p/65515623394

 

[one eyed jack]

Don't have any knowledge to offer, but I'm signed on to see how it goes.

If it tends toward getting tough, I wonder if wrapping might help? Treat it more like Chuck? Just guessing.

 

[Jonok]

To do the Italian beef thing, it’s wet in a crock pot....

 

[agaffer]

To do the Italian beef thing, it’s wet in a crock pot....

what is Italian beef?

 

[Jonok]

Really good